Who is mystery shopping ideal for?

Mystery shopping is accessible to all kinds of people and is a great way to supplement your income and get your hands on some free items or food. Mystery shopping can make a real difference to your finances as you get those extra bits or the odd free meal that will lighten the financial load from time to time. But who is mystery shopping ideal for? Check out my guide to the people that will benefit the most from mystery shopping-

Students will love mystery shopping
Because mystery shopping requires you to have little more than some free time and access to a computer it is ideal for university students. As most universities are in or close to a big town or city then the number of available jobs will be great so a student can find access to a ready supply of mystery shopping opportunities. It is a great way to get a free meal, go for a drink or get some free items that will help when money is tight.

Mothers with children at school are ideal candidates for mystery shopping
Again this is a wonderful opportunity for stay-at-home mums because they can drop the kids off at school, go out and do a bit of mystery shopping and be back in time for the kids coming out of school again. Mystery shopping doesn't require you to commit week-in-week-out so you can take time off when the kids are on their school holidays. It gives you a chance to go out and meet people as well as picking up a free coffee or some bits for the kids. There are also many fashion shops that need to be mystery shopped so you can supplement your wardrobe too!

People who have retired can get a lot from mystery shopping
Again the way that mystery shopping is structured means that someone who is retired and has free time can get out there to mystery shop and earn a little extra money. It is a great way to pick up extra items for free when you go out and perform a mystery shop so it is well worth giving it a go. The forms that need to be completed online are usually quite basic so you won't be bamboozled by technology.

Anyone that lives in a big city will get loads from mystery shopping
Cities are great for mystery shopping because there are so many shops and restaurants there that need to be mystery shopped. Whenever I'm in a big city I get free meals to keep down the cost of spending time there. There are always so many restaurants to choose from that you can easily have at least a meal or two a week paid for by someone else. It is a great way to make the most from mystery shopping. I had four meals in restaurants from mystery shopping last week and over the year this saves a lot of money.

Mystery shopping is a really interesting way to pass the time and get free items while earning a little extra cash. I love mystery shopping and I'm sure you will too.

If you are interested in mystery shopping then my book will give you the lowdown on how to apply and how to be a successful mystery shopper. Check it out today-

6 things that you don't know about mystery shopping (yet!)

Mystery shopping is exactly what it says in the tin - large parts of it remain a mystery. There are six key things that you don't know about mystery shopping. You need to know these before you set out to be a mystery shopper-

6- It can be tough to get started

Mystery shopping companies have to look out for their clients. They only want their best shoppers working for Thor top customers. Because of this you have to start from the bottom and prove yourself. Many mystery shop companies will only allow you to do one or two jobs a month to begin with as you build up your profile. This means or can be hard to get established as a mystery shopper.

5- There can be more costs than just the purchase

Although the mystery shopping company will reimburse your purchase (up to a point) and often pay you a few there are other costs to take into account. You will need to factor in in the cost of travelling to the location and any parking costs as well. You will find that many mystery shoppers try to carry out many mystery shops in one location to minimise this cost. You will also find that your average mystery shopper is an expert on all the free places to park in their local area.

4- You are self-employed

You won't be employed by a mystery shopping company. You will be a contractor that carries out work for them on an ad hoc basis. This has the benefit that you can work for many different mystery shopping companies at once. But it also means that you are self-employed and responsible for your relationship with the tax man.

3- Mystery shopping companies do more than mystery shopping

You will find other opportunities on the job pages of your mystery shopping companies. Audits snd exit interviews are common ones that I have seen. It does give you a bit of variety if that is what you are looking for. But beware when you are selecting an assignment that you have read the notes thoroughly and you know what is expected of you.

2- Get it wrong and you may not get paid

Mystery shopping companies will only get paid if the report you produce can be sent through to their client. Make sure you read all the notes carefully so you totally understand the expectations. For example, you may be required to purchase a particular product. If you fail to carry out the assignment correctly then you may very well not get paid, and be out of pocket.

1- You have to speculate to accumulate

With mystery shopping you pay out for the required purchases but it can be some time Becker you get the reimbursement back in your bank account. Many UK mystery shopping companies pay twice a month but with others it can be up to 90 days. Factor this in when you look at becoming s mystery shopper and you won't get s y nasty surprises.

If you are thinking about becoming a mystery shopper then my Amazon Kindle book is a great pace to start. It gives great advice like that found above and also talks you through step by step the way to become a mystery shopper-

The six top UK food outlets that you can start mystery shopping today

Mystery shopping can be all about the free stuff that you get. When you mystery shop a retailer this comes to you in terms of the products you buy and take home as part of the scenario. But when you mystery shop a hospitality provider what you get is a free meal or free drink - or even both. Here is my guide to the top six restaurants and bars that you could start mystery shopping today.

6- Fayre & Square

This pub chain has an active mystery shopping programme for their main pubs and their kids Wacky Warehouses. The reports are detailed and thoroughly but the reimbursements are really good. Maybe not one to start with but a great mystery shopping experience when you've got a few under your belt.

5- Greene King pubs

These are scattered all over the country and you get a good few for carrying out a mystery shop for at least two people. The instructions are currently that you have a starter, two main meals, a dessert and two drinks so you will always get a good meal here. Straightforward reports are a bonus here as well.

4- Pret A Manger

You can tell the type of place that takes absolute pride in its food and service, just like Pret. They want to provide an excellent experience and the mystery shopping they have done for them allows this company to monitor this. You get a free lunch!

3- House of Fraser cafes

This higher end retailer has high standards for its cafes. You can mystery shop a House of Fraser cafe and get a great meal. The food is always great and the service is usually as good as you would expect from the brand. You get a great lunchtime meal.

2- Greggs

Greggs have taken over the High Street in many ways and offer a great takeaway or sometimes sit down experience. Their mystery shop programme covers every shop every month so there are plenty of options available.

1- Wetherspoons

The great British pub has been reignited by Wetherspoons and they also have a comprehensive mystery shopping programme. You can get a great meal and a couple of drinks with these guys. The reports are easy to complete and it's always a pleasure to shop there, wether it's breakfast lunch or dinner.

If you want to get into mystery shopping then my book on the secrets of mystery shopping will help you get in the way. You can find it in the Amazon Kindle store.

The 8 most common questions mystery shop companies ask

When  it comes to mystery shopping the forewarned is forearmed. You want to know what is expected of you when you walk through the door and start role playing the scenario you have been asked to carry out. Wherever it is that you need to carry out your mystery shop, the same questions come up time and time again. Here are the 8 most common questions mystery shop companies ask. Think about these whenever you go out shopping or mystery shopping and you will train yourself to be a top mystery shopper and earn good money-

Give the name and description of the person who served you
They want to know who they are measuring, who to reward and who perhaps needs a little extra training and support. It is vital that you know who it is you are reporting on when it comes to a mystery shop.

How many staff present?
How many customers present?
These to work together and gives the company a great idea of how busy the shop was and if they had the right staffing profile to match. It can explain delays in service if they were understaffed. This helps build the initial picture for the mystery shop.

As you browsed, were you approached?
This is a great measure of how proactive the team were on that day. The customer that is approached will have their inquiry answered and will be more likely to buy. That means more sales for the business - a key measure.

How long did you have to wait to be served?
The key service measure is waiting time at the tills. Customers leave behind their purchases, walk out and may not come back again if this time is too long. Every company wants to know that this is not happening from their mystery shops.

Could anything have been done to improve your visit?
I really like this question on a mystery shop because it goes above and beyond the simple yes/no or information collecting of other questions. It gives you a chance to add some detail and make the shop come alive.

Was the location clean?
This is another essential element to attracting and retaining customers so they really want to know what is going on here. Different mystery shopping companies have different standards here so some might just want a yes/no while others will want detail of why you feel that way.

Were you up-sold anything else?
The up-sell has become a major force in retail and hospitality over the years. By just getting each customer to buy one more thing companies can make millions of extra income. This is big business and it is much easier to sell more to your existing customers than it is to generate new ones. Mystery shop companies love to know how people have performed here.

Once you know the regular questions that mystery shop companies will ask then you can start to practice in your head whenever you go out shopping. The better you become at remembering these questions and gathering this information then the easier and more enjoyable you will find mystery shopping.

If you are interested in mystery shopping and want to find out more then my book is a great place to start. It will help you go through the process of becoming a mystery shopper step by step.